Agenda and minutes

To note that Councillor Matt Noble is substituting for Councillor Aicha Less.

1.1      It was noted that Councillor Matt Noble was substituting for Councillor Aicha Less and Councillor Paul Swaddle was substituting for Councillor Mark Shearer.

To receive declarations by Members and Officers of the existence and nature of any pecuniary interests or any other significant interest in matters on this agenda.

2.1      There were no declarations of interest.

To approve the minutes of the meeting held on 22 February 2023.

3.1      RESOLVED: That the minutes of the meeting held on 22 February 2023 be signed by the Chair as a correct record of the proceedings.

4.1      The Committee was presented with a report providing details of a complaint submitted by a tenant through the Council’s complaints process and to the Housing Ombudsman. Following this complaint, a compensation payment of £3,400 was required to be paid to the leaseholder from the Housing Revenue Account.

4.2      The Committee noted the contents of the report and discussed its details. It was hoped that lessons had been learnt from the case and the Committee was pleased to note that significant changes to the complaints process had subsequently been implemented.

RESOLVED:

That the payment of compensation of £3,400 be approved to comply with the Housing Ombudsman’s order.

5.1      A report proposing to amend the Members’ Allowances Scheme for 2023-2024 was introduced, it was explained that the scheme had received initial approval by the General Purposes Committee at its meeting on 22 February 2023 and was formally adopted by Council on 8 March 2023. It was noted that the scheme could be amended in year. 

5.2      Options to amend the allowances scheme had been proposed by both Groups. The proposals were to enable a Special Responsibility Allowance (SRA) to be paid to an additional member of the Cabinet and it had also been proposed to create a second Opposition Deputy Leader post. It was noted that aside from these proposed changes the Allowances Scheme would continue to be based on the current scheme.

5.3      The Committee considered the proposals, and it was confirmed that the Members Allowance budget was sufficient to meet the revised financial commitments for 2023-24, as set out in the proposed scheme. The Committee noted that changing the number of SRAs payable to Cabinet Members and Opposition Deputy Leaders did not mean that these posts had to be appointed to.

RESOLVED:

That Full Council be recommended to approve the Amended Members’ Allowances Scheme for 2023-2024 with effect from 1 July 2023, which included amending the number of SRAs payable to Cabinet Members from six to seven and Deputy Leaders of the Opposition from one to two.

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(Councillor Swaddle abstained from voting on the recommendation)